Performance and entertainment device and method of using the same

Abstract

An athletic performance and entertainment device for use on footwear, for example, children shoes. More particularly, an entertainment device which can be attached to the tongue-area of a shoe for providing feedback to a user based on the user's performance during a selected physical activity. The user selects which activity he or she wishes to perform and presses the appropriate function button on the device. The wearer then performs the selected physical activity and the wearer's performance level is indicated by LEDs disposed on the device. A speaker may also be disposed on the device to provide audible feedback to the user. The device keeps track of improvements in performance by promoting the wearer through various award levels as performance increases, until all award levels have been mastered. A novel closure system according to the present invention allows the device of the present invention to be disposed on the tongue of an article of footwear so that the closure system does not obstruct the wearer's view of the device.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A performance and entertainment device, comprising: 
       a housing;  
       a central processing unit disposed within said housing;  
       a switch disposed on said housing and connected to said central processing unit for providing input to said central processing unit; and  
       a display device connected to said central processing unit for receiving output from said central processing unit,  
       wherein said central processing unit is capable of producing a performance level evaluation for a user of the device during at least one physical activity, providing performance feedback to the user based on comparing the performance level evaluation with a preset performance criteria for a current award level and automatically varying said current award level in response to said performance level evaluation, such that said current award level is increased to a new award level in response to an improvement in the user's performance, resulting in increased preset performance criteria corresponding to said new award level.  
     
     
       2. A device according to claim  1 , wherein said housing is attached to a tongue area of an article of footwear. 
     
     
       3. A device according to claim  1 , further comprising a speaker disposed within said housing for receiving output from said central processing unit. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim  1 , wherein said switch is activated by engagement of a function button. 
     
     
       5. A device according to claim  1 , wherein said display device comprises an LED. 
     
     
       6. A device according to claim  1 , wherein said housing is water resistant. 
     
     
       7. A device according to claim  1 , wherein said housing comprises a sealed two part plastic case. 
     
     
       8. A device according to claim  1 , wherein said central processing unit is capable of evaluating a wearer's performance in a physical activity taken from the group of physical activities consisting of at least one of the following: sprint, high jump or running long jump. 
     
     
       9. A device according to claim  1 , wherein said preset performance criteria require achieving a maximum performance level for the current award level during each of a plurality of performances. 
     
     
       10. A device according to claim  1 , wherein said current award level is increased when the user meets a predetermined performance standard, until all award levels have been mastered. 
     
     
       11. A device according to claim  10 , wherein said performance standard increases as said current award level increases. 
     
     
       12. A device according to claim  1 , further comprising a memory for separately storing the performance level evaluation and current award level for each activity performed. 
     
     
       13. A method of evaluating performance and providing feedback comprising the steps of: 
       (a) selecting a physical activity to be performed;  
       (b) evaluating the performance of the activity for a current award level;  
       (c) displaying the activity performance level evaluation; and  
       (d) if the activity performance level evaluation exceeds a preset performance criteria for said current award level, automatically increasing said current award level to award level in response to an improvement in the user's performance, resulting in increased preset performance criteria corresponding to said new award level.  
     
     
       14. A method according to claim  13 , further comprising the step of audibly conveying the activity performance level evaluation. 
     
     
       15. A method according to claim  13 , wherein said selecting step comprises selecting an activity to be performed from a plurality of different activities consisting of at least one of the following: sprint, high jump or running long jump. 
     
     
       16. A method according to claim  15 , wherein said selecting step comprises selecting an activity to be performed by activating a switch. 
     
     
       17. A method according to claim  16 , wherein said switch is actuated by engagement of a function button. 
     
     
       18. A method according to claim  13 , wherein said steps (b), (c), and (d) are performed by a microprocessor incorporated into a module and said step (a) is performed by a user of the module. 
     
     
       19. A method according to claim  13 , wherein said displaying step comprises displaying the activity performance level evaluation by activating an LED. 
     
     
       20. A method according to claim  13 , wherein said preselected performance criteria requires achieving a maximum performance level for the current award level during each of a plurality of performances. 
     
     
       21. A method according to claim  13 , further comprising the step of separately storing the activity performance level evaluation and current award level for each activity performed. 
     
     
       22. A method according to claim  13 , wherein said current performance and award level can be reset. 
     
     
       23. A method according to claim  13 , wherein said step (d) further comprises increasing the current award level when the user meets a predetermined performance standard, until all award levels have been mastered. 
     
     
       24. A method according to clam  23 , wherein said step (d) further comprises increasing said performance standard as said current award level increases.